This clever little house caught my eye the other day. Designed by architect Matthew Woodruff, The Gulf Islands House was completed a couple years ago in what seems to be quite the serene location. It’s a cozy second home that was built as an escape of sorts for Woodruff’s family. I’m not sure the owners were trying to set any green building records with the home, but the two-bedroom pad has some green features we can all appreciate, such as its solar orientation and design, small footprint, and use of locally harvested materials. The minimalist design seems to create just the right space for congregating with the family, too.

HGTV has this list of the 20 Ways Your Home Can Save the Planet. Depending on where you’re at in the process of greening your home, you may find this list helpful. I like some of the suggestions but also realize there’s a deeper level of analysis that goes into actually saving the planet with your home. I bet the special presentation show on television was pretty interesting, though. Without further ado:

I’ve noticed the Maison EvolutiV of late and it’s quite the interesting home. Designed by Olgga Architects as a show house for the Salon Europeen du Bois, this energy-efficient home presents a compelling view of what can be done with only two modules. The ground module is flush with the outdoors and features a skin made of chestnut stakes of various sizes. The second module juts out over the first and provides a nice little spot for a green roof area. In addition, the home features a rainwater recovery system, wool wood insulation coupled with cellulose, solar panels, and a low-energy passive house design.

This is big news for the green building revolution, because a solar farm like this could power roughly 190k homes in California. Referred to as the Topaz Solar Farm, this $1 billion, 550-megawatt plant would cover roughly 9.5 square miles, and if constructed, would be the world’s largest photovoltaic solar farm. Hayward-based OptiSolar is developing plans for the project as we speak. According to their current time line, OptiSolar will apply for a conditional use permit in May 2008 and begin construction in 2010. Topaz Solar Farm would then be completed over three years.

Elmwood Reclaimed Timber is a Missouri based company that reclaims old wood to give it a brand new life. They offer products ranging from stair treads and cabinetry lumber to flooring and beams. They have an incredible range of wood species offered including oak, elm, pine, walnut, redwood and their own special mixes such as "Vermont Moonlight Medley" (shown above).

The South Group recently announced that Luma, their newly completed residential project, received LEED Gold certification. The 19-story high-rise joins its sister building, Elleven, and becomes only the second condo in the state to receive the Gold level designation. Located in the South Park neighborhood of LA and with a total of 236 residences, LUMA saves 30% more energy over Title 24 2001 standards and consumes roughly 751,000 gallons less water annually than a comparable tower. The posh, green tower was built with low-VOC everything, and as you would expect, recycled and locally-sourced materials.

If you’re in the market for something like this, you might need to jump on it — Luma is almost entirely sold out.